Region braces for major damage from Hurricane Sandy's high winds, heavy rains

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Emergency officials are bracing for major damage from Hurricane Sandy, which is expected to bring heavy rains, high winds and flooding to the area beginning Monday.

Depending on the storm's track, East Coast traffic could come to a standstill Tuesday, and sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph could cause widespread power outages resulting from downed trees.

The hybrid hurricane and Nor'easter has similarities to the so-called "Perfect Storm" that ravaged parts of New England on Halloween in 1991. The difference is that Sandy's wrath might stretch from North Carolina to the Canadian Maritimes.

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"It's unprecedented and should be taken seriously," said Stasu Bizzarro, vice president of Glens Falls-based Weather Routing Inc., a maritime meteorological firm with clients worldwide. "It's pretty huge."

The silver lining, if there is one, is that emergency responders are better prepared to deal with a major storm after dealing with last year's Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee that devastated upstate New York.

"We're geared up and ready," said Gary Ferris, American Red Cross Adirondack-Saratoga Chapter executive director. "We're more coordinated with other chapters now and working together as a single unit."

Preparations started taking shape Thursday. The main steps are getting the chapter's 17 shelter-trailers ready, and calling volunteers to make sure there's enough staffing.

"We'll be able to mobilize," Ferris said. "We want to make sure that our shelters are up and running before the storm hits. We're not sure where they'll be yet. It depends on the storm's path."

Bizzarro said Sandy's rainfall probably won't be as intense as that of Irene, which dropped two to three inches per hour. However, fierce winds rushing down the western slopes of mountains might cause major problems in the Champlain and Hudson valleys.

"I believe the biggest concern will be wind and power outages," he said.

National Grid spokesman Patrick Stella said utility companies in western New York have already been contacted. Likewise, state officials have asked for local ambulance crews to be on standby for the lower Hudson Valley.

"But we're going to keep crews here until we have a clearer picture of what develops," said Paul Lent, Saratoga County director of emergency services. "We don't have to leave the local area."

County Public Works Commissioner Keith R. Manz said his crews spent Friday fueling up generators, chain saws and other equipment.

"Everybody has to assume it could be like an Irene," he said. "You've got to assume the worst. But we're ready."

Last year, flooding threatened dams throughout the region. However, Irene and Lee hit during late summer.

This year, water in Saratoga and Great Sacandaga lakes has already started to be drawn down for winter.

During a Friday visit to Schuylerville, New York State Canal Corp. Director Brian Stratton said his agency is in communication with the state Office of Emergency Services. Flooding wiped out some locks along the Mohawk River last year.

The National Park Service is gearing up, too, by going over emergency call lists and getting equipment in place.

"There's a fairly large preparedness effort going on," Saratoga National Historical Park Superintendent Joseph Finan said. "Parks in the Mid-Atlantic section like Sandy Hook and Valley Forge could be impacted by this."

Local rangers could be deployed to hard-hit sites, he said.

State park facilities, from beaches to parking lots, were devastated by last year's storms, straining already tight budgets to the limits. Another big storm is the last thing the parks system needs, Saratoga-Capital Region Director Alane Ball Chinian said.

"It's definitely a concern," she said.

How to prepare

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- The American Red Cross encourages people to prepare for storm-related emergencies in several ways, such as the following:

o Have a kit ready with a three-day supply of medicines, clothing and one gallon of water per person for each day.

o Have a plan. If school is canceled, make sure kids don't come home to an empty house.

o Stay informed. Keep a battery-powered radio handy for storm and emergency updates.

o For information about Red Cross shelter locations, call 1-800-REDCROSS (733-27677), go to www.redcross.org or use the free Red Cross "apps store" on cellphones that has information about how to prepare, storm updates, shelter information and what to do in case of an emergency.